- Location
- Montgomeryshire
There’s a farm almost next door that bought in several hundred to establish a new flock, who rave about them. I think their’s came from a different source flock, but they all share common genetics.
Last edited:
Easycare sheep experiment
- Thread starter SR7
- Start date
There’s a farm almost next door that bought in several hundred to establish a new flock, who rave about them. I think their’s came from a different source flock, but they all share common genetics.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Quite lot I think. The Exlana x Highlander females, where the rams came from the same flock as those purebred ewes, are far more attentive mothers than the pures. Still a bit crazier than their rams, but still young sheep yet.
I used a Lleyn ram on some Highlanders in 2016 & 2017 and those crosses have been good maternal ewes (although feet have taken a backward step in hindsight), whereas a few pure Lleyn females from the same flock were bad enough to put me off that breed for good.
On the other hand, the Texel x Exlana hoggs that have lambed have been good mums, and a little more placid than their mothers.
Aspiring Peasants
Member
- Location
- North Pennines
Interesting question. One of my pet hates is wild sheep, they just waste so much time.
I think bad behaviour is more down to breed than learnt. Charollais bred for example are much wilder than Texel or Beltex from the same ewes
It’s the same with mothering abilities, there are either there in the breeding or not, they are not learnt.
I have ewes that were taken off their mothers and reared artificially that are great mothers so it’s not a learnt behaviour
Management is very important as well. I bought some Hoggs that were used to roaming over a salt marsh and you couldn’t get near them. A bit of feed and time and they’re running towards you , makes lambing so much easier
- Location
- leics/warks border
I ended up using Charolais tups when I lambed woolly sheep indoors because compared to the suffolk and texels I'd used they were much quicker to get up and look to suckle.
When I went to the ECs lambing outside I stuck with them for that reason. I've not found a problem with them suffering from a lack of wool, but we are only 80m above sea level and the fields generally have some shelter from most wind directions.
They do vary depending on flock though. I currently have one tup throwing lambs that get up and go and another from another breeder whos lambs aren't so keen to live. One will be soon off to market.
Kingcustard
Member
One thing I do laugh at is how people take a breed which in this case has had 60 years of development and selection and then set about on a mission to "improve" it.
Basically saying the guys developing the breed didn't know what they are doing, and they are the saviours to come along and make the difference.
In my experience of buying EC ewes, the ones that have been bred differently and had Lleyn or texel added are more trouble and less suited to the hands off approach of the breed. Bad bags, don't do off forage alone, lambing issues, turned in eyelids etc etc, give me the original type every day of the week!!!!
.... honest opinion, not stirring....
... but....
.... SHOTS FIRED....
Basically saying the guys developing the breed didn't know what they are doing, and they are the saviours to come along and make the difference.
In my experience of buying EC ewes, the ones that have been bred differently and had Lleyn or texel added are more trouble and less suited to the hands off approach of the breed. Bad bags, don't do off forage alone, lambing issues, turned in eyelids etc etc, give me the original type every day of the week!!!!
.... honest opinion, not stirring....
... but....
.... SHOTS FIRED....
Kingcustard
Member
ringi
Member
I think there is now demand for higher lamb sale prices in exchange for more hands on while still advoiding the valueless wool.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
One thing I do laugh at is how people take a breed which in this case has had 60 years of development and selection and then set about on a mission to "improve" it.
Basically saying the guys developing the breed didn't know what they are doing, and they are the saviours to come along and make the difference.
In my experience of buying EC ewes, the ones that have been bred differently and had Lleyn or texel added are more trouble and less suited to the hands off approach of the breed. Bad bags, don't do off forage alone, lambing issues, turned in eyelids etc etc, give me the original type every day of the week!!!!
.... honest opinion, not stirring....
... but....
.... SHOTS FIRED....
And yet those original breeders in Anglesey have set about improving the breed in recent years, by adding a splash of Texel genetics...
On the stand at Welsh sheep yesterday were a couple of tidy looking shearling EC rams, from the same flock that @unlacedgecko bought a bunch from iirc. They actually had a bit of shoulder, not enough to be described as wide in any way, but not sharp and pointed like some shedders.
The breeder has a large flock of 'pure' Easycares, but they were originally bred up from Texel ewes. When do they become 'pure' (if a composite/crossbreed/mongrel can ever be described as such), as they still showed a bit of that Texel influence to me, and all the better for it.
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
Really????? Why do UK sheep farmers keep thinking that by adding a ram bred primarily for terminal traits they will improve their ewes maternal abilitiesAnd yet those original breeders in Anglesey have set about improving the breed in recent years, by adding a splash of Texel genetics...
On the stand at Welsh sheep yesterday were a couple of tidy looking shearling EC rams, from the same flock that @unlacedgecko bought a bunch from iirc. They actually had a bit of shoulder, not enough to be described as wide in any way, but not sharp and pointed like some shedders.
The breeder has a large flock of 'pure' Easycares, but they were originally bred up from Texel ewes. When do they become 'pure' (if a composite/crossbreed/mongrel can ever be described as such), as they still showed a bit of that Texel influence to me, and all the better for it.
- Location
- Fife
And yet those original breeders in Anglesey have set about improving the breed in recent years, by adding a splash of Texel genetics...
On the stand at Welsh sheep yesterday were a couple of tidy looking shearling EC rams, from the same flock that @unlacedgecko bought a bunch from iirc. They actually had a bit of shoulder, not enough to be described as wide in any way, but not sharp and pointed like some shedders.
The breeder has a large flock of 'pure' Easycares, but they were originally bred up from Texel ewes. When do they become 'pure' (if a composite/crossbreed/mongrel can ever be described as such), as they still showed a bit of that Texel influence to me, and all the better for it.
Which flock?
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
If you use the right Texel tup, those first cross ewes are damn good sheep.And yet those original breeders in Anglesey have set about improving the breed in recent years, by adding a splash of Texel genetics...
On the stand at Welsh sheep yesterday were a couple of tidy looking shearling EC rams, from the same flock that @unlacedgecko bought a bunch from iirc. They actually had a bit of shoulder, not enough to be described as wide in any way, but not sharp and pointed like some shedders.
The breeder has a large flock of 'pure' Easycares, but they were originally bred up from Texel ewes. When do they become 'pure' (if a composite/crossbreed/mongrel can ever be described as such), as they still showed a bit of that Texel influence to me, and all the better for it.
- Location
- Fife
Choice of breeder is more important than choice of breed.
Kingcustard
Member
I must admit I don't experience this sharp shoulder of which you speak, I have the last 14 EC pures away to the abattoir this afternoon, I will put the kill sheet up when I get it and you can show me why they are such bad sheep.And yet those original breeders in Anglesey have set about improving the breed in recent years, by adding a splash of Texel genetics...
On the stand at Welsh sheep yesterday were a couple of tidy looking shearling EC rams, from the same flock that @unlacedgecko bought a bunch from iirc. They actually had a bit of shoulder, not enough to be described as wide in any way, but not sharp and pointed like some shedders.
The breeder has a large flock of 'pure' Easycares, but they were originally bred up from Texel ewes. When do they become 'pure' (if a composite/crossbreed/mongrel can ever be described as such), as they still showed a bit of that Texel influence to me, and all the better for it.
It will be easy as they are all late born triplets and plain as hell.
- Location
- Cei newydd
You claim your texels improve maternal ability?
Logie ewes are Lleyn with some texel in them.
I allways think form follows function.
- Location
- Fife
You'll run out of ammo with all this shooting.One thing I do laugh at is how people take a breed which in this case has had 60 years of development and selection and then set about on a mission to "improve" it.
Basically saying the guys developing the breed didn't know what they are doing, and they are the saviours to come along and make the difference.
In my experience of buying EC ewes, the ones that have been bred differently and had Lleyn or texel added are more trouble and less suited to the hands off approach of the breed. Bad bags, don't do off forage alone, lambing issues, turned in eyelids etc etc, give me the original type every day of the week!!!!
.... honest opinion, not stirring....
... but....
.... SHOTS FIRED....
Within the constraints of my budget, yes I can 100% breed better sheep than I can buy.
I don't farm on Anglesey and I'm not Iolo, so yes I also think I can breed sheep better for my personal situation and requirements than I can buy.
There are people breeding shedding sheep.
There are people breeding Myomax sheep.
There are people breeding Inverdale sheep.
But, as far as I'm aware, I am the only one incorporating all 3 into the same animal.
Kingcustard
Member
Spot on, you are improving sheep for your situation, and from what I can see on here you are not lecturing the world and his dog about how everyone should use what you have.
I think the biggest problem with ECs is that people expect them to be a super-sheep that will do what a texel cross or a mule does and have zero problems.
What I have done is swapped mules for ECs, stopped lambing indoors and stopped feeding ewes nuts, and stopped fertilizing grass, everything else is the same.
I am happy to compromise a little on quality and numbers and price if it means I can continue to farm sheep without running myself into the ground or ending up in a wheel chair.
The kicker is that I actually have a higher lambing percentage as the ewes don't die as much, I have more lambs to sell as the death rate is well down without so many lambing complications, and I have no clipping to worry about, and I actually end up with more money from lamb sales as the difference in price between the EC lambs is astonishingly small but I have more to sell.
Then add in reduced costs of 25 tonne of ewe feed at £400+, no fertiliser at £700+ a tonne and they start to make a lot more sense.
Haters are gonna hate them, that's what farmers do.... the "if it isn't a Beltex or a John Deere then I ain't interested" brigade are always out in force.
But the sheep as they are fit my system well and I will continue to tinker away with tup choice until I am happy with the best route and then sit back and enjoy my life a lot more.
No shots fired, saving my ammo
Kingcustard
Member
There can be no sheep that provokes more polarity than Lleyn, and from my experience with them the bags are absolutely awful
- Location
- Fife
Too many people focus on turnover rather than margin.
Kingcustard
Member
Correct, already people commenting that they get a higher sale price with improved ewes, but do they get an improved margin